The Scientist
by cheveuxrougefaux
Summary: The war is over and some students took the liberty of letting everyone know it
1. The Scientist

Disclaimer: Characters, settings, most names, ect.. are not mine but JK Rowling's... you know the deal.

Ginny sat, her forehead pressed against the train window, breath clouding her view. Her deep red hair was down in soft curls that had grown to her mid back over the summer. She was wearing a soft cotton tunic, jeans, and had slipped her shoes off. She felt the train slow down some, _must be going up a hill_.

The compartment was quiet, but not silent, as she could hear muffled versions of summer vacations and parties through the relatively thin walls, but she didn't mind. Quiet was something to be treasured when you had so many brothers, and Gin learned to find those moments and keep them. She would meet up with everyone later, but for now she cherished the peace. A song stuck in her head, she began to hum to herself, a habit that sometimes earned her confused stares or a scolding. _Oh take me back to the start..._

She loved the train, the way it seemed to rock her off to sleep. The sounds of the engines, the wheels against the track, the soft of the bench, it all got to her every time. Harry said he found her sleeping last year on the train and swore she was an angel. She didn't buy it, but she did know that the train was her heaven. That same day Harry asked if she would go out with him. Ginny said no and explained that she loved him, and will love him, just not as might want. He was broken up, but he told her he understood.

The train slowed further, and Ginny was nearly asleep.

After the war had ended, McGonagall agreed with the rest of the professors that not only did Ginny's grades exemplify her knowledge, but so did her part in the war. They unanimously agreed to move her up a year to a seventh year. She found out when her book list came and she had never seen her parents so proud. Hermione had offered her congratulations, but Ginny could tell that they were half-hearted. Ginny and Hermione had never fought outright, but they both agreed to disagree in most instances, as they were alike in the wrong ways and different in the wrong ways. Either way, Ginny knew that Ron loved her and she had no problem with her as a sister-in-law.

Ginny drifted in between being asleep and awake. Just as her lids began to droop, the train stopped. Ginny looked out of her window, her eyelids drooping, to find that they had yet to reach Hogwarts and were still in the middle of the forest. She stepped out of the compartment into the hall with a few other students. No one seemed to know what was going on.

Ginny walked up the hall towards the front of the train, along with the growing crowd, but was soon blocked by a mass of yelling students. Curious, Ginny pushed her way through the crowd, but didn't get too far, as two lunch carts had been tipped over and jammed against the walls. Both of the carts were empty, as there was nothing on the ground, and the women usually pushing the carts were nowhere to be found. Someone, a younger girl, complained very loudly in Ginny's ear about the carts blocking the best bathrooms. Ginny ignored her. Collin was taking pictures, and stopped when he saw Ginny.

"Do you know what the hell's going on?"

"Not the slightest. I've been sleeping almost the whole trip."

"I heard something about one of the engines failing about twenty minutes ago, but that was from Alex, and he never seems to have a story straight."

"Hm, well I'll let you know if I find anything out."

"Ginny! Gin! Over here!" Hermione called to her from a nearby compartment, waving for her to come inside. "Gin we've been looking for you everywhere when we found you weren't in your compartment."

"Do you guys know what's going on?" Ginny asked once she got inside. Harry sat next to Lavender and Neville, while Ginny took a seat by Ron and Hermione.

"Not a clue," said Lavender, "about ten minutes ago we heard the carts being crushed together, but no one was there when we went to see what had happened. Then the train stopped, and that's it."

"What a way to start off our last year. You know I really had hoped for one normal year here, just one," Hermione grumbled.

Ron put his arm around her. "I think it's just us, we don't really mesh with normalcy."

"What if this is another attack? You know, like a way to keep the war from ending?" asked Neville.

"No, I don't think so. They would have become violent by now," Harry said, looking down. Ron shot him a strange look and Harry refused to look back at him.

"D'you know something Harry?" asked Ron.

"No. Well, yeah. Well I'm not supposed to say anything. I'm not even supposed to know, I just heard some Ravenclaws."

"Well spit it out then!"

"I don't know…"

"HARRY!" they all yelled at once.

Harry looked at them all and gave in. "All right, all right! I overheard a group of Ravenclaws when we were getting on the train talking about a prank, something about celebrating and the train."

"Well they wouldn't have a very hard time because Milly McEwen's father is a muggle train conductor. She's a sixth year from my herbology class last year," Ginny said. "It wouldn't surprise me if she was in on it."

"This train used to be a muggle train, actually. Their plan, whatever it is, was thought out," said Hermione, "But…"

Hermione was cut short of what she was about to say by a voice coming from the hallway. "My fellow beloved students! _No, you tart, you can't start it off like that!_ I'm the one with the spell, I can say what I want! _Whatever._ Yes, my beloved peers! As we all know, now that you-know-who has been defeated, a few others and myself thought it was time for a change from our mourning and sorrow, though our time doing so was needed. The war is over and it's time to start the year off right! _That actually wasn't too bad._ Yeah?_ I could have done better, but you know._ Is this thing still on? _I don't know, it's still green, isn't it? _Yeah… aw shit. If anyone knows how to turn off a megaphoneous charm, please come to compartment 305. And everyone else… well what else do you do when there's nothing else to do? Let's party!"

"I don't think that this is such a good idea," said Hermione.

"Aw, Hermes, lighten up, I mean, why did we fight in the first place if not to have moments like this afterwards?" said Harry, and with it he stood up, a grin plastered to his face, pulled out his trunk, and rummaged through. He mumbled something about firewhiskey and cups.

Ginny stood up. "I'm gonna go grab my stuff from my compartment. I'll be back."

"'K Gin."

Ginny opened the door to the hallway and was not prepared for the sight before her. She had never seen so many happy students in one place. Someone took toilet paper from one of the bathrooms and had already decorated the walls and floor. Every door was open, and Ginny almost fainted when she saw Blaise Zambini give a confused first year a crushing hug. She couldn't help but smile as she walked back to her things.

That smile almost left her, almost, when she came upon her compartment. Inside, Draco Malfoy was playing cards with a few other Slytherins. Not one of them looked up from their game. Ginny just sighed and walked through their game to the back seat.

"I didn't know you were into poker, Red."

"I'm just getting my things, I'm not staying."

"And why not? The war's over. No hard feelings." Malfoy looked at her.

"Thanks, but no."

"Whatever. See you in potions."

It took Ginny three and one-quarter steps to realize what Malfoy had said. She turned back. "How did you know I moved up a year?"

"It's all over your face."

"What?"

"I saw your potions book when you got on the train, it was practically falling out of your bag."

"Oh."

"I'm dealing you in, so sit."

"I don't even know how to play poker."

"You're a bad liar, Red. It's Texas Hold 'Em. It's your turn to anti."

"I know how to play Malfoy, I'm not ten."

"Good because you deal next round."


	2. The Gambler

After three rounds of poker, Malfoy and Ginny were left. "You're never gonna beat me Red. Let's just call it a draw now, I'll be nice."

"No way, you don't know what I have for a hand. There's no way I'm going to forfeit to you of all people."

"Whatever you say, Red, I was just trying to be chivalrous. That's all, but now that you're so determined to stay, why don't we make things a little more interesting?"

"How interesting?"

"Oh, I don't know. How about the looser has to do whatever the winner wants them to do."

"That doesn't sound too bad, I guess."

"For a month."

"What?! Malfoy I know you're madly in love with me but this is no way to get my attention. Besides, when I win I'm just gonna have you do my potions homework and get me cookies from the kitchens."

"You really shouldn't flatter yourself, Red, and you're not going to win. Let's just both go all in now and show our cards."

"Getting nervous? Fine." Ginny and Malfoy held out their cards, then Malfoy delt the river.

"You've got to be shitting me."

"Looks like you're in for some fun, Red. I told you we should have called it a draw, but no. It seems to me that you're the one with the little crush."

"We never shook on it, so technically there was no deal."

"Do you really think I'd let you get away that easily? I put a charm on the cards before I dealt you in. You have to hold up to your promise or else your teeth will turn purple."

"Oh that's very clever of you."

"So either live up to your promise or live with horrendous teeth. It's really all your choice."

Ginny thought about her situation,_ I'm not that proud am I? Teeth or Malfoy. Teeth or Malfoy. Yeah, this year's going to be a blast, just amazing._

"Fine. Have it your way. What do you want me to do?"

"Oh no, you've got to give me time to think about this one."

"Well can I get my things?"

"Yeah, I'll catch up to you later, Red."

Ginny rolled her eyes. She grabbed her things from under the bench, and just as she was about to Leave, Malfoy grabbed her elbow. "Sit with me at meals."

"Are you sure? You do know that means being seen with a Gryffindor, a Weasley no less."

Malfoy just smirked back at her. "Yes, but YOU are sitting with ME, not the other way around. See you at the sorting."

Ginny left, thoroughly confused, and went back to where Harry and the rest were. She had her hand on the handle to the door of the compartment when a hand tapped her on her shoulder. "Word on the hallway is that you're Draco's new pet."

"Does this interest you Blaise?"

"More then it should, actually. Be careful, Ginge. Draco may be charming now, but he's not all he's cracked up to be."

"I'm not doing this out of my own will. He threatened to turn my teeth purple. Look, Blaise, I don't really know what's going on right now. I know the war is over and everything, but since when did the earth turn backwards? You're being nice for some reason, and I haven't quite figured out why, and I'm not quite sure if I want to know."

"You think too much. I'm just giving you a heads up."

"Yeah? Well thanks I guess."

"Yeah. See you at the sorting."

Ginny opened the door to find it empty. _Don't quite blame them, I was gone for nearly a half hour. _She put her stuff on the bench she was sitting on and looked out their window. It was beginning to get dark, as they would have been to the castle by now. _I wonder if the teachers know what's going on._ She didn't see any sign of danger, however, as the train had stopped in a clearing and the sky was clear.

She decided to change into something more comfortable, as she figured there might not be a sorting tonight. Ginny put on a pair of thick sweat pants and a t-shirt that was a little too small. She left her hair down, though she combed it before she went back out to the hallway, determined to find someone else besides a Slytherin.

Out in the hall, most of the students had thought along the same lines as Ginny, as most of them were wearing more comfortable clothing. She walked past a few students watching some muggle film through a projector that Collin had installed onto his wand. A boy, third year Ravenclaw, was making popcorn and Ginny gratefully took some. Munching on her makeshift dinner, she continued to make her way down farther to the end of the train. She found Hermione and Ron snogging in a deceivingly empty cart, and had shut the door quickly before she gagged. Neville and Luna were discussing thestralls and were happy to see Ginny, but she couldn't bring herself to talk about something she didn't know anything about.

So Ginny continued on, past door after door. She had never realized the train was this massive, as she had always stayed close to the main doorways. Now, however, she saw no end in sight. Ginny began to jog, then sped up to a run. It was liberating, running down a carpeted hallway. The farther she ran, the quieter it got, and soon it was silent. Ginny broke into a sweat and stopped to see exactly how far she had run. She looked behind her and could barely see the light of Collin's projector, a speck in the distance. Ginny opened the door to the nearest compartment.

Inside, Draco Malfoy was splayed across the bench, seemingly asleep. Ginny stepped inside. She had never really looked at him before. His hair was almost white, but like snow, not like white from age. His hair was slightly curled at the ends, it was once cut short but it had grown an inch or so over the summer, making it look scruffy, but not messy. His eyelashes were long and almost translucent , skin pale yet creamy. Malfoy's mouth was pink, twisted with his nose, as he drew in a deep, sharp breath, and sneezed over Ginny's pants. "Damn, Red, could you lighten up on the spray?" Malfoy pulled a tissue from his pants pocket and wiped his nose.

"I don't have any on."

"Well did you really need to wake me up? I was having a good nap."

"I didn't mean to. Did you know the train went this far? Hogwarts must have had a lot more students a long time ago. I've never even heard of a compartment 1008."

"What are you talking about? I haven't left the compartment since we started playing cards."

"Malfoy, I know you think that I lie, but that's ridiculous. Really."

"I'm not lying, Red. I haven't left. You're the one that left. Nice strap by the way, I'm a fan of green myself."

Ginny pulled her bra strap back up and gave Malfoy a death glare. "Malfoy, I just ran like three quarters of a mile down the train and you're telling me that you haven't left."

"Now you're just exaggerating. I know you're out of shape, but it's not a mile down the train."

"Go step outside, then."

Malfoy reluctantly got up. He opened the door and stepped outside. "What the hell did you do to my compartment?"

"I told you."

He came back inside. "What's going on? What did you do to the train?"

"Me? I'm not the one with the megaphoneous charm who decided to stop the train."

"Yeah, well you are the one who ran a mile to get to me." Malfoy smirked at her. "It's real cute that you would come all that way just for me."

"I just opened a door, Malfoy, I didn't go searching for you."

"Whatever you say, pet."


End file.
